Neighborhood BBQ

Chef Don Belveal

Friends and family of the ranch gathered in the cookhouse Saturday night to enjoy Don Belveal’s amazing barbecue.  Known to many folks as the highly entertaining host of the Westcliffe bluegrass festival, Don is also quite the BBQ master.  He brought his smoker to the ranch early on Saturday morning and spent the whole day smoking Maytag GrassFed beef for the party in the evening to enjoy.

Don and Jeannie

Don's amazing BBQ beef

Over 30 guests brought a huge array of potluck dishes and desserts to share, covering the counters and bar of the Lodge kitchen with a tasty spread. Ranch owners have been out to enjoy the Cookhouse Lodge’s amenities often this year, with quiet gatherings enjoying a good fire while sipping wine in the comfortable leather couches, and others pushing together seating in the dining rooms to hold many people at one table.  Marshmallow roasts have been common all summer long on the cookhouse beach, as it is hard to beat a good fire with good friends while watching the deer and elk emerge from the trees into the tall grass of the pastures surrounding the main ranch compound.